Applying best practices in any industry is essential to long-term success. University enrollment management professionals must consistently adapt their skills to an ever-changing higher education environment while learning new processes aimed at driving student success.

For Ceshia Love, University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) director of Undergraduate Admissions, professional growth isn't just about furthering her own skill set. It's about bringing forth new possibilities for her institution and motivating its mission-driven admissions team.

Her commitment to UHD and its students earned her an invitation to join the 2017-18 cohort of the College Board Southwestern Region Enrollment Leadership Academy (ELA). ELA, the College Board's yearlong professional development program, cultivates the next generation of enrollment leaders through sessions focused on leadership skills and key enrollment management issues. Love will participate in the College Board's October National Forum in New York, and February 2018 Regional Forum in Dallas. Likewise, she will participate in monthly ELA meetings conducted online and in person.

Love looks forward to contributing to the ELA, and is grateful for the opportunity.

"Participating in this Enrollment Leadership Academy will provide national exposure for UHD and offer additional resources for me as I continue to lead our admissions team," said Love. "This partnership with College Board will assist UHD as we achieve our long term goals."

Members of ELA come from a diverse group of institutions and backgrounds. The cohort style of the program allows for maximum learning and networking among higher education professionals. Participants bring leadership skills and new ideas back to their respective campuses to share with their colleagues. They also develop skills to apply to future leadership roles. Members of ELA commit to active participation in each session.

The program is an excellent opportunity to recognize enrollment leaders for their achievement, dedication and potential. To attend, ELA participants must be nominated by a manager, senior institutional leader, or colleague. Love was nominated by Dr. Tomikia LeGrande, vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, and selected from a talented pool of nominees to take advantage of this valuable professional opportunity.

Love has more than 14 years of higher education involvement that includes management and supervisory experience. She is responsible for the recruitment and enrollment of graduate and undergraduate international students and graduate students. She collaborates with other enrollment offices and student services to implement enrollment plans and strategies to meet annual recruitment goals.

Love also oversees the lawful immigration compliance of foreign students for UHD and serves as the liaison among government agencies, institutional departments and community partners. She earned both her Master of Arts in Urban Sociology and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Texas Southern University.

The 2017-18 ELA program will begin in August 2017, and end in June 2018.

UHD President Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz congratulated Love for earning this respected distinction.

"Your success further reflects the high caliber of professionals at UHD," wrote Dr. Muñoz in a note acknowledging her ELA selection.